Shadow of a Dream
by ForgottenStorm87
Summary: one-shot: A midnight visitor's appearance might only be a dream, but why does it feel so real? 1xR...lemon...
1. PrologueLemon

[A.N.] Hello everyone! This idea hit me when i was laying about wasting my time on internet games. It is my first risque fiction that really goes into the lemony side of life. Don't flame the beginner too hard, although constructive criticism would be appreciated. I intend on continuing this. It will be long and confusing but i hope it will thrill and be enjoyed!

~Serene

* * *

Was it all a dream? I swear it happened. A chill ran up and down my spine as I recalled it. A cold breeze, a dark shadow and then the warmth only another body can give. If it was a dream, then I had had it many times before but this time it was different. Usually, the dark figure only stayed at the window and watched me sleep. Occasionally I would feel him run his hands through my hair or gently caress my cheek. I remember blushing each time under the heat of his gaze: deep blue pools of midnight and mystery boring into my very soul.

He had been watching me all of my life. I knew it was him. As a child, I felt I had a guardian angel keeping me safe wherever I went. When my parents were killed in that horrible fire I knew it was he that had saved me though my brother swore no one else had been there. That was the first of many times that I continued asking myself if it was just a dream; if HE was just a dream.

His visits began innocent enough. Sometimes I told my friends about my mysterious visitor: some were shocked, some were horrified and some found it 'kinky'. An interesting plethora of reactions to an otherwise seemingly harmless dream.

In class I often found myself day-dreaming, reaching to the spot on my neck where I first felt his unique touch: so intimate and demanding, and yet, so gentle. He never stayed though. Some nights I could swear I felt his arms wrap around me as he buried his face into my hair, but only for a short while. He would be gone before too long leaving me to feel more alone than ever. Most women would be freaked out or even call for some sort of night-time security, but not me. I wasn't afraid of him. I knew that of all the things in the world to fear, my mysterious visitor would never be one of them. Besides, what if it was just a dream?

Tonight, however, was different. Tonight, I felt his presence before my window ever opened.

 _I opened my eyes and looked to the window as I know I have many times before and saw him there. This time, the moon gave light to my mysterious shadow; a chiseled, handsome face topped by a mess of unruly dark-brown hair and those same dark orbs that remained in my mind. He was taller than I, thought it was hard to tell how much so from my place on my bed. He wore old-fashioned slacks, dark as the night and a deep blue silk shirt unbuttoned halfway down. His pale chest was chiseled with muscles: well developed but not bulky by any means. He was the sort of figure women read about and fantasized of from one of their many romance harlequin novels. I was, it seemed, no different._

 _He neared the bed, slowly, almost cautiously with an otherworldly grace that made my skin tingle. As if by magic, he was suddenly there, beside me, reaching out one of his calloused hands to gently caress my cheek and tuck a few stray strands of hair behind my ear. He leaned in, a movement that made time seem to stand still before I felt his breath on my skin._

 _"Relena…" I heard him speak my name: the first word I had ever heard him say and he spoke it like a sweet reverent prayer._

 _"Heero…" I don't know how I knew his name. It came to me as easily as the name of my favorite cookie or brand of soda and felt just as sweet leaving my lips._

 _"It's time." I hear him almost purr in a low rumble. 'time for what?' I found myself briefly thinking before I felt it: his lips, warm silky and soft… his tongue massaging that spot where my neck met my collar bone. "You're mine" I heard him hiss with a possessiveness that made me almost melt. Then I felt IT._

 _Two simultaneous punctures, a brief sting of pain before the warmth of pleasure replaced it. I heard a moan of desire and soon realized it was my own. I didn't know this man and yet I knew him better than anyone. I had no idea who he was or what he wanted with me but I shamelessly felt myself giving in to him. His hands found the ties to my pajama pants. When had I lost my shirt?_

 _I no longer cared. I felt his hands on my breasts, kneading them tenderly, pinching the nipple eliciting a groan deep from the back of my throat. I felt his hands move down to my waste, my underwear long gone, felt his body move over mine. I never felt his mouth leave my neck but his eyes locked with mine, searching for something; consent maybe? I nodded, helplessly lost in the euphoria of his touch. I felt something else penetrate me, this time in my most private of places. I gasped as pain shot through me from the invasion before I slipped away into pure pleasure. I felt him inside me, moving slowly at first, filling me all the way. Finally, his lips were on mine and I could taste the coppery sweetness of blood: my blood._

 _I knew what he was. I think I always knew but I didn't care. I heard myself call out his name as he whispered my own, nibbling my ear. I reached for him, running my hands up and down his perfect body, begging him to take me harder, faster. He continued to pound into me with almost a predatory need and I heard him almost growl. I felt the need for him consume my very being, my flesh calling for more of him, begging to be one with him. He thrust harder, lifting me up off the bed into an almost seated position allowing him deeper entrance and I welcomed him. He was right: I was his. I always had been and I knew I always would be._

 _Finally, I heard him repeating my name, a continuous prayer that I joined with his own name as he moved faster and faster, the pace of his thrusts increasing. It happened so fast yet seemed to last forever, the warmth that sprang from my inside, running though my body with toe-curling pleasure. I heard my name tear past his lips once more as I felt the warmth of his seed, the essence of his being pour into my womb where it always belonged._

 _I was his and he was mine and while I didn't exactly know what had happened or why, I knew that this would be the first night of many where our unspoken vow of devotion and belonging would be consummated and shared. I mean, what harm could there be in wishing for the re-occurrence of such a dream?_


	2. SoaD Ch 1

[A.N.] After debating long and hard about continuing this fic I have decided to give it a shot but feedback will be key. I will need your support to finish this because I have never done anything like this before. Please read and hopefully enjoy as we go on this journey together… And as always, I do not own them. Sadly. *sigh*

~Serene

* * *

Relena woke with a sleepy yawn, stretching leisurely after what had been the most wonderful night sleep. The dream had been so vivid; so heated and realistic. Her hand reached up to the spot on her neck where his fangs had penetrated her pallid skin. As she suspected, she felt no indication of any harm or intrusion on her neck and sighed in resignation. The dream had been intense but reality called her name. She had to be at work by eight and no amount of dreaming could change the fact that she had bills to pay.

Opening her eyes, she instantly knew something was wrong. She kept it dark in her room when she slept, not so much as a nightlight, but this darkness was different. It was then that she smelled it; his scent. She felt beneath her and realized the sheets she laid on were not her standard cotton ones, but rather a rich silk. She gasped and sat up, her eyes darting around the room desperately trying to make sense of her current situation. She felt down her sides and front, reaffirming the presence of her pajamas. Was she still dreaming?

She pushed herself out of the covers and off the side of the bed to make try and find a light-source. Her bare feet touched the softest carpet she'd ever felt as she carefully touched her way around the darkness. Finding the light switch on the wall by the door, she braced herself. The light chased away the darkness revealing a rather lavish bedroom of baroque design. The four-post bed she'd been laying on was covered in dark blue sheets with a sky blue brocade of swirls and flowers and a matching comforter. The dark wood furnishings looked as antique as they did pristine. The carpet was a soft cream color matching the tone of the walls leading the eyes to the trim which matched the dark color of the bed-set. The only window in the room was adorned by curtains as dark-blue as the trim and yet was so thick that any daylight that tried to seep through would be suffocated out by the intensity of the hue.

Deciding that staying put would not get her home any faster she debated whether or not an escape attempt was an intelligent choice. Clearly she wasn't meant to be a prisoner. Not many jailers held their charges in luxurious bedrooms and yet she had no idea how she'd come to be there nor who had arranged it.

"Come one, Relena. You can't just stand here." She reached out to the doorknob and clutched it tight, holding her breath. It might be locked. She said a mental prayer that it wouldn't be and finally steeled her nerve enough to give it a good turn. To her delight, the knob turned with only the faintest of noise and the door pushed open giving a soft creak. The hallway was sold wood polished to perfection with a long, Middle Eastern runner in the middle. Making her way down the hall as silently as possible, she passed potted plants of species she'd seen and some she hadn't as well as portraits and paintings that would have made and art-historian die of sheer giddiness.

She reached the stairs: large, wooden, and as polished as the floors but intricately carved with designs she could barely see in the dim lights that she supposed the servants used to get around. If there were any servants.

The further she traveled through the mysterious mansion, the more she began to get a feel for her surroundings. A small light down one of the lower corridors caught her attention and she walked towards it cautiously. The nearer she drew, she began to hear voices talking in harsh tones. She paused at the door where the light shone from and listened. It was rude to be nosy, she knew, but being as she never asked to be brought there, she figured they owed her answers.

"What were you thinking bringing her here?" One voice said.

"This is my mansion." Another voice, answered. She knew this voice; cool and smooth. It was her visitor. Her face heated with a blush when she remembered the events of the night.

"I am well aware of that, but do you realize what you've done? The girl is going to wake up soon. What are you going to tell her when she does?"

"The truth." The truth? What did that mean?

"Heero, you can't just go taking mortals and bringing them into the inner sanctum and not expect some sort of horrible consequences."

"Duo is, right. If the girl decides to try and run, she could expose us."

"What you have done is reckless."

"You dare chastise me?" The one known as Heero said. His voice was low and soft, but there was an edge to it that dripped with the threat of death.

"We are your council. It is our job to point out the more foolish things you do." This voice was different. That brought the count up to four.

"Tread carefully, old friend."

"Tread carefully? You have done us all an injustice, _old friend_."

"Wufei, angering him will not help. We may not like what had happened, but what's done is done. We may as well turn out attention to making her as comfortable as possible." This voice made five: four men and her midnight visitor.

"She's here." She heard Heero say and before she could move, the door opened.

"Welcome, m'lady!" Relena looked into the room and back and forth from one man to the other: a braided man, a small blond man, an Asian man, and a man with long bangs hanging over one side of his face. And then, there was him. Cool, dark blue eyes staring at her intently, dark hair as unruly and untamed as always. If she wasn't so outraged about being kidnapped, she might have let herself swoon.

"I'm Duo, and this is Trowa, Wufei, Quatre, and of course you already met our king."

"King?" She uttered, eyes widening.

"Heero Yuy, King of the North American Vampire Bund." The one called Wufei said, resentment in his voice though whether it was meant for her or for his king she had no way of knowing.

"Vampire…" She heard herself utter. Her hand involuntarily went to her neck where he had bitten her. It hadn't been a dream. He really had visited her; bitten her and… made love to her. She felt her face heat with a blush that started with her face and quickly ran down to her toes. As she looked at his seemingly impassive face, she felt her embarrassment, to indignation and then, finally, to anger. Before she even knew what happened, she had crossed the distance between them and smacked her hand across his chiseled face. It felt like hitting a concrete wall, but the satisfaction of the sound of her flesh hitting his made fueled her flames of defiance. She watched as the four men bristled at her action, the Asian one making a move to reach for his sword before he held up a hand to still them.

"How dare you." She hissed. "I demand you return me home immediately!"

"I cannot do that." Heero uttered, his voice still as sultry as ever, his eyes meeting hers. She refused to be detoured by him.

"You can, and you will! This is kidnapping!" a look formed on his feautres: one of amusement. He found her indignation amusing!

"Not exactly."

"Oh? And why not?" She knew it would look quite humorous to anyone who saw her: a five foot four inch female glaring up at a nearly six foot two male. Still, she fought the urge to stand on her toes to further her point.

"Because," He began, his eyes pooling with some indiscernible emotion. "You belong to me. You always have." She felt her breath catch in her throat at his words. She froze. After what seemed like a small eternity, she looked away, anger turning from a flame to smoldering embers in her soul.

"You can't keep me here. I will be leaving as soon as the sun comes up." Not giving him a chance to respond, she made her way back up to the room she awoke in, throwing herself down onto it in anger. Anger at him for taking her. Anger with herself for letting him. But-most of all-angry at the whole situation because he had been right. She did belong to him she just had no idea why…

* * *

"Well, that went well" Duo uttered, crossing his arms.

"Aren't you going to go after her?" Quatre inquired. Heero merely grunted and turned to his desk to start looking over some papers. "Heero… she's scared… she has to be confused. You owe it to her to try and make this right." He felt the weight of his friend's words hit him hard. Had he done the right thing? It wasn't as if he'd rushed into this. He had known for many years she was the one he needed; the one they all needed. He had made the only decision he could that would benefit all of them the most, including her.

"Heero… did you really need to bring her here?"

"Yes." He answered simply.

"Why?" Wufei grumbled. "In the name of the great Nataku, why?"

"She belongs here."

"How does a mortal belong among the likes of us? She will be easy pickings for any of our blood-thirsty bund-mates that wants a midnight snack."

"If they dare touch her, I will kill them where they stand."

"What makes her so special?" Wufei prodded.

"She is the one I have chosen. I have bound her to me."

"You what?" Duo all but yelled.

"Heero, you didn't…?" Quatre stared at him a moment.

Heero ignored the looks of disbelief he knew undoubtedly surrounded him. He ignored the sound of their further protests, his hand caressing his cheek where her hand had struck him. He'd done what was best; he had no doubts about that. The only question that remained now, however, was whether nor not she would wish to finish what he'd started before it was too late.


	3. SoaD Ch 2

[A.N.] I am so sorry it has taken me so long to get back to writing. I hadn't planned on being away for so long but I had somethings happen that cause me to hit writer's block the size of Mt. Fuji! I also apologize for this chapter being so short. I really hope you enjoy this!

~Serene

* * *

Relena wandered around the mansion trying to find…something. A way out? A place to hide? It hardly seemed possible given her current predicament. She was basically being held against her will by supernatural beings she once knew for a fact had to be little more than fictional characters romanticized by pop-culture. Now, here she was, barefoot in her pajamas trying to make sense of everything that had happened. He was a vampire? Last night had been real? Then every night he'd appeared to her had to have been real too, right? Why her of all people? And why now?

She was a successful college graduate. Reason and logic told her that this still somehow all had to be a dream; that he was an illusion brought upon by the traumatic events of her past. Her brother would be so worried. It wouldn't take him long before he had the whole city searching for her. It helped that he was the police commissioner of the city.

She stopped and looked around finding more dark corridors and giant wooden doors. Even in the darkness she could tell she was in a very elaborate and expensive house. She reached out unconsciously to touch the delicately carved wood of the door and ran her fingers across the designs. Her degree in art history made it impossible for her to ignore such craftsmanship. If only the light in the room had been brighter…

There was no light. She had previously been making her way through the endless shroud of darkness, feeling her way around. When had she gained the ability to see?

"I awoke the ability within you." Her captor's voice once sent a soothing chill through her body, but as she felt the fog lifting from her mind from the previous night, she felt her anger rise at what she could only deem as his betrayal. She stared at him until his eyes flicked to that spot on her neck. She reached up a hand to once more feel the smooth skin under her fingertips.

"What… who…?" There were too many questions. She wanted to scream and yell and berate him for his actions but the words would not come.

"I am what you heard: a vampire king." He walked closer and she seemed rooted to the spot, unable to move. "I have chosen to be my queen…"

"And if I refuse?" He paused, mere steps away from her but she could feel the intensity in his eyes.

"You won't."

"You seem very sure of yourself." He smirked.

"My Relena…" he almost purred this and she felt her knees going weak. "Do you really believe you want to resist? Even now I feel the doubt in your mind. Your every heartbeat gives you away." She felt his words in her very soul like a gentle caress, but mentally shook herself.

"I WILL resist! I have to! I have a life, a career! Friends, family! I won't stay here where I am virtually a prisoner! You have no right to keep me here!"

"Don't I?" His eyes hardened as they locked with hers. "You gave me your consent last night, remember?" visions of their activities flashed through her mind making her cheeks burn and her temper flare in embarrassment.

"You tricked me! I thought it was dream! I would never agree to this! Am I going to become like you? Have you taken away my humanity as well as my freedom?" a glimpse of amusement flashed through his eyes and it made her want to smack him.

"No. You will stay as you are until it is your wish to be made otherwise." He paused as if in thought, then continued. "What's done is done, however. I have bonded you to me." How could he be so cold about all of this? His aloof attitude toward the whole situation made her ire rise to its boiling point.

"Maybe so," she straightened her posture, her eyes glaring defiantly back at him. "However, you do not own me, and if it is the last thing I do, I will be free of this place and of you. I promise you that!" Even as the words left her mouth, however, she could not truly put her heart into them.

As much as her current situation angered her, it intrigued her. There was a whole other world beside the one she knew and she had the rare opportunity to explore it. Still, if given the choice between satiating her curiosity or keeping her free will, the choice was clear. She had to escape. She just had no idea how.

* * *

"You've done some pretty reckless stuff in the past, buddy boy, but this takes the cake."

"I did not ask for your opinion, Duo."

"No, but I'm going to give it anyway. What do you really know about this girl? I mean, she's pretty, I'll give you that, but so are many of our females."

"And you would know all about our many females." Duo feigned offense.

"Well, no denying I like a little sugar in my tea if you catch my drift." He flashed a roguish smile. "All kidding aside, this could be bad, man. You do realize who she is, right? Heero glared at him.

"Of course I do. It was I who was entrusted to protect her." Heero poured himself some wine. Liquor seemed to be the only thing vampires could enjoy from their mortal paths. Full-blooded vampires seemed to have no problem with the robust drinks.

"Yeah, sure, but nowhere in that description did it say you had to make her yours."

"I have my reasons."

"Okay, but did you stop to think of how this will affect your people? Your friends. Not to mention the girl."

"All you need concern yourself is making her feel welcome. See that the staff and our brethren treat her with the utmost kindness. I want her to want to stay."

"So you want us to befriend the girl you seduced and abducted? Just so she'll want you again?" He crossed his arms in annoyance. "You do realize she has a mind of her own."

"For now."

"Wow. Seriously?" Duo glared at him in disbelief but Heero hardly cared. His reasons were sound even if his friends did not see it so. "Very well, your royal jerkness. I'll make sure everyone plays nicely with your new little 'toy'," Heero growled at Duo's impertinence and the young man wasted no time in leaving the room. His Duo was the only one who knew. He had been there long ago when Heero was bestowed with the task at hand. Heero had readily taken on the honor of the assignment. Protecting her was his mission and the easiest way to do so was to keep her with him.

It didn't matter. He swirled the burgundy libation around in his glass for a moment before placing it back on the table. He suddenly had no desire for it or any other substance. The one thing he wanted most he couldn't have without forcing his will and even that wouldn't be effective much longer. He sighed. Everything had gone horribly wrong so very quickly.


	4. Shadow of a Dream Ch 3

Zechs Merquise angrily paced the office of the chief of police who currently sat at his desk shuffling through paper work. It infuriated him how calm his boss was given the circumstances. His little sister was missing and all the chief could do was continue to ignore his frustration.

"For God's sake, Zechs, stop pacing."

"She's been taken, Treize! Why won't you do anything?"

"There was no evidence of forced entry or resistance. There was no blood or trace of any form of physical struggle. I see no reason to be alarmed."  
"Her purse with all of her money, cards and personal Identification, cell phone, and keys were all left behind. Her dishes were left dirty in the sink, her clothes from the previous day on the floor and her outfit for the next day had been laid out. My sister would never leave her apartment in such a state." Treize looked up at him, his cool violet eyes full of patience.

"Your concern is understandable, but we simply do not have enough proof to go off of. If you hear nothing from her in the next forty-eight hours, I promise we will begin some sort of further investigation." He paused and Zechs felt himself being studied. There was something more to Treize's reluctance, but it eluded him. He all but growled in frustration.

"If my sister is harmed in any way because you refuse to act, I promise you will regret it." With those words, he left the office and went straight to his desk. Lucretzia Noin, his partner of the last five years looked over at him. He had told her of his sisters disappearance and-if it hadn't been for her support-he would have gone off half-cocked on a personal investigation that might have ended in him having to hand in his shield and firearm.

"No luck?" She asked, her pale eyes flashing with sympathy. She was the one person who could be around him safely when he was in this sort of mood. Anyone else would be in imminent danger of having their heads bitten off… literally. Instead, she was the peaceful presence he needed to calm his inner storm and keep him from doing something irreparably rash.

"No." He almost growled again. "That son of a…" He paused and took a deep breath. "The captain seems to think there isn't enough evidence at the moment to warrant an investigation."

"I'm sorry."

"Not as sorry as he will be if—"

"Zechs, Relena is a smart girl. She's tough and resourceful like her brother. She'll be fine." She came up behind him and rested her hands on his shoulders, leaning down to press her cheek softly against his. Her words did little to comfort him but the simple skin on skin contact helped calm his inner beast.

"I know she's a smart girl, she'd tougher than anyone I know. However, If I really smelled what I thought at her apartment, than we might already be too late.

When their parents died, he'd sworn he'd take care of his sister no matter what and yet she had disappeared. He had to find her. Too much was at stake. He picked up the phone and dialed one of his many questionable contacts. Being a cop came with some unpleasant aspects like criminal informants and undercover jobs in sketchy area. Thankfully, he had just enough of both to increase his chances of receiving answers.

"Howard, It's Wind. I need some information."

* * *

"Mister Treize, are you certain denying him assistance is in the department's best interest?" A silken voice all but purred from the corner of the room. He looked up to see his secretary and long-time confidant leaning against the door.

"The whereabouts of the young Miss Peacecraft do not truly concern us."

"You do realize if she has fallen into the wrong hands it might prove catastrophic?"

"Lady," he began, "I am well-aware of the possible outcomes of this situation, however, it is my duty to keep such possible search results from appearing in the human data base."

As the Chief of Police he had to keep his subordinates in line. As an ancient rogue Vampire, he really had no loyalty to any particular race, and personally, a three-way pull for power would thrilling to watch. However, as an officer of the peace, he had taken an oath to protect and serve and Treize Khushrenada was, if nothing else, a man of honor. In the very least, the fighting spirit of the humans was far too admirable to allow to be fully dominated. He would help his Moon-bound allies to keep the balance. Humanity's existence made his own eternal one a little less droll.

Anna Une, the woman he so affectionately called 'Lady' made her way gracefully to his desk and slid into his lap, curling her fingers in his chestnut colored hair.

"Would you like me to contact the usual channels then? The girl must be found." He smirked and closed his eyes as she massaged his scalp with her nails. He moaned and reached up to hold her hips, centering her to rest over his. As if reading his mind, she began to slowly gyrate on him.

"Later." He leaned forward and licked up her neck, eliciting a low, soft moan from his lover. Yes, he would look into the case of his friend's missing sister. She would be found. She had to be one way or another. What followed, however, would be far less enjoyable than the activity his Lady currently had placed on his agenda. He released a guttural growl as he let his baser instincts drive him, temporarily forgetting everything but the feel of his warmth against him.

* * *

Relena couldn't get his eyes out of her mind. The deep confusing pools of liquid night had seemed so harsh and yet, she'd never felt safer than she'd ever felt. The level of pain she felt from his betrayal of her trust, however, hurt more than she'd dare admit. She knew him. He had been with her as long as she could remember; a gentle presence in a confusing world and in the period of one night he had gone from someone she'd trusted implicitly to someone she loathed. He had stolen her away from everything she'd known. He seduced her, lured her in and bound her to him without her consent…

Okay, so it wasn't completely without consent, but taking such actions while omitting the important details about forced bonds and blood-sucking immortality was a bit of a deal breaker. She had thought she'd been dreaming, but he had ravaged her; body and soul and she had only been half-aware of what his true intentions had been.

It had been a week now, since her abduction and she still had next to no knowledge of the true extent of her situation. She wanted to hate him. She wanted to scream and yell and beat her fits against his chest in protest. When she thought about the extent of his betrayal her eyes burned with tears she refused to shed. Anger wouldn't answer her questions. She was locked away in a mansion in the middle of God knows where with vampires and strangers who knew more about her current situation than she did. Not that she'd been mistreated: quite the contrary. Everyone had treated her with kindness and respect.

Upon waking in the morning, she'd found designer clothes in her size and style. A hot breakfast (the kind that she would fix for herself) had been delivered to her room by the time she'd finished her shower. The few servants she'd seen had smiled kindly at her; perhaps out of pity or perhaps because they were ordered to. Indeed, she had been provided everything she'd needed. He even had apparently had someone go to her apartment at some point to grab her soaps and personal items to add to her comfort. However, all the kindness in the world could not-in her mind-make up for his deception. She was now bound to the King of Vampires. She needed to know what that truly meant.

He had been avoiding her, a fact that both annoyed and pleased her. When messages absolutely needed to be passed, he usually sent one of what she could assume was his advisers to inform her of the necessary details. Wufei, the distinctly Asian man kept his words to a minimum and would get straight to the point before walking away. Today, however, the knock on the door revealed the one with the long brown braid. She had seen men with many different hair styles in her line of work and indeed throughout her years of schooling. However, the nearly yard-long complex braid was new to her. It was difficult for her to try and pin-point what era her was from.

"Hey, princess!" He gave her a cheeky smile, his lavender eyes twinkling. "I hope you're having a good experience here." She almost rolled her eyes.

"As much as any prisoner can, I suppose." She stated. His smile instantly melted to a pout that resembled a reprimanded puppy.

"You're not a prisoner, Princess."

"Can I go outside?"

"Well, no…"

"Can I make a phone call?"

"Not really, but—"

"Can I go anywhere at any time without anyone following or watching me?"

"Well, they can be less noticeable if you want."

"So then, please tell me how I am not a prisoner? Even modern day convicts get one phone call." Duo raised his arm behind his head cupping the back of his neck in an uncomfortable gesture.

"The king had his reasons for bringing you here."

"And I would be more than willing to hear them all if he would stop avoiding me." She turned to him sharply. "Do me a favor? Tell your king that if he has any more messages for me, he can bring them himself." With that, the braided man left, leaving her alone once more with her thoughts. Thoughts of him, of what her life had come to, but-most irritatingly of all-thoughts of how badly she desired to be in his arms again…


	5. SOAD Ch 4

Relena groaned in angry frustration and kicked the covers off of her as she all but jumped off of the bed and ran into her private bathroom. She had now been at the manor a total of a month and every night since her abduction she had been plagued in her dreams by the memory of that night. Each time she found herself begging for his touch and each time she awoke with his name on her lips. She splashed cold water on her face and looked at herself in the mirror. Her eyes went to the place on her neck where she knew his fangs had penetrated. No marks were visible but the skin still tingled as though it just happened. What annoyed her most was the fact that, in spite of her anger, she truly did long for a reoccurrence of that night.

He, however, was still avoiding here. She wondered, briefly, if the dreams and fantasies were being placed in her mind by their newly forged connection. Even though he'd been nowhere near her, she felt their bond growing stronger, pulling her toward him with an almost animalistic magnetism. She, however, refused to be coerced into giving in. He had deceived her. He had manipulated her into letting him into her bed and into her mind… and her heart. How could he have such a large impact on her when she hardly knew him?

But… Did she hardly know him? Deep down she knew he had come to her more than once. He was so familiar. Being with him made her feel safe; it felt right.

She mentally shook herself and decided to take a much needed shower and get dressed. Right or wrong, she would not be treated as a hostage or a love-slave. She chose to pull her hair into a simple, high ponytail brushing her bangs to the side. Though they had brought her clothes from her apartment, she decided to forgo any jewelry in favor of a pair of mid-rise, stream line dark blue jeans and a baby blue turtleneck. It was a bit drafty in the manor, most likely due to her host being technically not of this world so heating it might was probably not a priority. She completed the ensemble with charcoal knee-high boots.

If he wanted to be stand-offish then she would play along with his little game. She was, however, not going to make it easy on him. She needed answers and he was indirectly refusing to provide them. If he wanted to continue to do so, then she would make avoiding her as difficult as possible. For the first time since her imprisonment, she intended to leave her room and made full use of the run of the mansion that she had been freely given.

* * *

"Come on, Heero, you need to talk to her. Please? She's ignoring the staff, hardly touching her food, and to make matters worse, it's putting you in a bad mood!"

"She told me she wanted me to stay away from her. I am merely granting her request." The Vampire King continued to peruse the document before him, signing his name at the bottom before moving on to the next.

"She was mad! And I can understand why!" Heero made a dismissive noise and signed another paper.

"Her protection is my mission in this life. I did what I saw was best. If she is angered by that, then that is not my problem." He stacked the finished papers in a manila file and placed it in his desk. Things were quite busy for him right now and the temper tantrum of his female guest did nothing to alleviate his stress. It didn't help that his subconscious continued to remember the feel of her soft, warm, flesh under his own cold body. He could still hear her moan and taste her sweet hot blood on his lips. He licked them subconsciously and closed his eyes, picturing that look of ecstasy on her face. It wasn't too late. He could still force his will on her if he so chose, but that wasn't the point. He had done what he'd needed to do; nothing more.

"Did you hear anything I just said?" Duo snapped at him. He cast a glare at his braided friend and saw the other man straighten in annoyance. "Geeze! You are as dumb as they come! You know everything you need to know about ruling our hive, but you have no idea what to do about one little woman!"

"I have done all I need to do. Here she is protected around the clock. Here she is marked by me and will not be bothered by those tat wish her harm unless they wish to start a war."

"So, you really don't care about her then? Her protection is the only thing that matters to you?" he grunted in agreement. "Then you won't mind if I keep her company at night? Hilde had always wanted an open relationship." Heero's hand was around Duo's throat pinning him to the wall before he even realized he'd attacked.

"She belongs to me. Touch her, and you'll be a pile of ash."

"I belong to no one, your fangship." He turned, still holding Duo to see her standing at the door. His rage had masked her presence from him.

"This does not concern you." He watched as her posture changed. Her hips squared off, cocked off to the side slightly, arms folded across her chest.

"Doesn't it?" She deepened her glare, aqua eyes locking with Prussian blue. "I walk down the hallway and hear you proclaim that I 'belong' to you? I'd say that qualifies as concerning me." Heero suppressed a growl. "Now, let him go." Heero tightened his grip on his friend's neck. "I said: Let. Him. Go." Heero heard her small foot tapping impatiently in the marble floor. He released his hold on his friend with an audible 'thump' as Duo dropped to the floor. "That's a good Vampire." The sarcastic patronizing tone of her voice was as much an irritant as it was a slight turn on.

"Thanks, Princess. I'd be a goner if you hadn't stopped by." Duo rubbed the reddened flesh of his neck.

"Leave us." He growled down to Duo.

"I know when I'm not wanted." He scrambled to his feet and walked to the door. "Good luck, Princess!" Once the braided buffoon was gone, he turned to her, standing there in the doorway of his office, posture still extremely defiant.

"I don't belong to you." Her words were strong, but through their bond he could feel the confusion behind them. He smirked and took a step toward her.

"That wasn't the impression I got the night I marked you." He saw her cheeks heat, an adorable addition to the defiance that flashed through her eyes.

"You mean the night you tricked me?"

He chuckled low in his chest. He would win this little battle even if the desire to do so puzzled him. He did not know why he wanted to possess her. Marking her had not required the act of making love: it certainly was a pleasurable way to deepen the bond, but still wasn't necessary. He let his eyes run up and down her form. She was covering as much of her skin as she could as demonstrated by the damned turtleneck. It made him fight the urge to tear it off of her; an easy feat with his vampiric strength.

"I did not hear you complain then." He heard her heart rate increase. He was winning.

"One does not normally protest what one believes to be just a dream." Her quick wit was as refreshing as her mere presence. It added to the intoxication of her scent.

"And yet, you enjoyed it." He saw her face turn an even darker shade of red. She obviously remembered that night as vividly as he did.

"I never said that."

"You don't have to. Your heart rate betrays you." She heaved a sigh of exasperation. "We could repeat the experience if you'd like."

"Over my dead body." Before she could blink, he wrapped his arms around her, pinning her gently but firmly to the wall, his face inches from hers. He pressed himself against her so clse he could feel every second of her breathing.

"You should be careful what you say. I can easily make those words a reality."

"Then why don't you?" He smirked and he watched as several emotions flashed through her eyes. What surprised him was the one that didn't: fear. She wasn't afraid of him. He was a blood-sucking, night-walking, killer with the strength of twenty or more men. With a flick of his wrist he could snap her neck like dry spaghetti.

"Because it's so much more fun when my victim's squirm."

"So, now I'm your victim?" The indignation in her voice confused him.

"If I recall, you all but stated as much your first night here."

"Does that bother you?" The question hit him like a cold breeze. Did it bother him that she felt like his victim? The answer to that surprised him.

"I did not bring you here to hurt you."

"Then, why am I here? Why don't you tell me the whole truth?" He pondered her words, or tried to, but the feeling of her hot flesh with the blood pulsing underneath. Having her this close was too distracting, but he couldn't bring himself to let her go. He couldn't take it anymore.

He crushed his lips to hers in an almost bruising kiss. He felt her fight him for a second or two before her arms rose around his neck and her fingers tangled in his hair. She kissed him back with feverish intensity and he found himself lifting her, carrying her to his desk. She moaned into his lips as he knocked everything off of his desk with one hand. She was so light, so easy to hold that it took him no time at all the situated them. He easily undid his jeans with one hand and ripped down her jeans with the other. He needed her; needed her like he needed blood. He was an alcoholic and she was his beverage of choice. With one swift move, he ripped her turtleneck away from the first of his flesh targets.

He bit down on her neck, needing to taste the salty-sweet warmth of her blood. His fingers found the warmth between her legs and began their pleasurable dance. He could hear her thoughts and feel her confusion and… reluctance. She didn't want this; not like he did and not like this. With a groan of frustration and self loathing, he released her using every last ounce of his self control. He backed away from her as though her continued touch would burst him into flames. Aqua eyes stared at him in dazed confusion.

"You… What…?" She grabbed for the remains of her shirt. Her skin was flushed and her eyes alight with what he could have read as possible disappointment.

"You should go." He turned from her, fixed his shirt and did up his pants and licked the remnants of her blood from his lips.

"You can't just do something like that and then back away without a word of explanation!" She grabbed her jeans and began to pull them back up.

"You aren't ready… I won't force you to do something you don't truly want." She looked as if she wanted to say something but he cut her off. "Your questions will be answered soon enough." He turned back to her; she still looked so tempting, flushed and helpless looking. It appealed to the predator in him. "I promise you now, I will not touch you again unless you ask it of me."

"Heero…" She said his name in an unfinished question.

"Go." He used just a tiny bit of his power on her then, the slightest of suggestions to start her on her way. He didn't watch her leave; he couldn't. He sat back at his desk, took a deep breath and focused his own meager blood-flow back to where it needed to be. This was going to be harder than he's ever imagined. Still, for all the trouble, he would never regret his decision to agree to be her protector, no matter the cost to himself.


	6. SOAD Ch 5

Howard "Monkey Wrench" Cornelli to the untrained eye looked like a harmless old man on a permanent vacation with his sunglasses and over-sized Hawaiian shirt, however, to Zechs Merquiz, he was one of the master minds of the criminal underworld. Formerly one of his Criminal Informants, Howard knew everything about anything going on amongst the unscrupulous and the underhanded. If his sister had been truly been kidnapped Zechs would bet his last dollar that Howard would know something about it.

"It's risky to meet here at this hour, Wind." Wind was his code name among the less than reputable.

"Do you have the info I asked for or not?" He had precious little time. Treize would not like knowing he was going rogue but he had to find his sister by any means possible, even if it meant angering the entire precinct.

"Yeah, I got it, but you aren't gonna be very happy about it." Howard took a last puff from his cigar before throwing it to the ground and smashing it under his heel. He reached into his lapel and pulled out a small thumb drive. Zechs reached out to take it but Howard pulled it back. "Not so fast. I'm a business man; I never give anything for free."

"I guess the nine possible charges of petty larceny aren't reason enough for you?" Zechs knew how to play hard ball with his CI's.

"Fine, never say I'm not a reasonable guy. Just don't let this get out or I'll have other stiffin' me."

"Yeah, yeah…" Zechs took the small device and tucked it safely into his suit pocket. This thumb drive was his only current link to his sister's whereabouts and he was determined to get home and view it as soon as possible. He made his way down the block to his car and drove to his street. He lived with Noin in a small but tasteful apartment up four flights of stairs. It was moderately sized and located in a decent part of the neighborhood where you could get a good night sleep but still hear all the various noises the city had to offer.

Noin would be asleep when he got in which would work to his advantage. He didn't want to involve her in this. If he was going to get in trouble, than he would ensure she couldn't be linked to it.

It took him almost no time at all to fire up the laptop and fly his finger across the keys to enter his password. He plugged in the flash drive and waiting as the loading bar filled at a molasses pace. Finally, the sound of the completed download signaled the acquisition of the intel. He opened the folders and his heart plummeted in his chest. His worst fears were confirmed. Not only had she been abducted, but HE had her. Zechs grabbed his jacket and stormed out the door. This couldn't wait. He had to tell the counsel. Even if it meant starting a war, he had to get his sister back.

* * *

Relena flipped through the channels passing soap opera after talk show after info-mercial trying to keep her mind off of her current predicament. It had been two days since her last direct encounter with the lord of the manner and she was beginning to get frustrated for more than one reason. Heero had bitten her again and kissed her and… she blushed and shook her head as if to shake off the memory.

Why was this happening to her? She had been reading any and all books in the library she could find that might have held some sort of key piece of information but had found little more than she and most of the rest of the world already knew. It surprised her how much humanity had made up in order to make themselves feel less helpless against the blood-sucking fiends.

Their curse, as it appeared to be, enabled them to walk in the daylight as well as the night although it was ill advised. The vitamin content of the blood they drank normally was not high enough to constitute living in the sunlight for too long. She supposed this was due to the body of the host using the majority of the nutrients themselves. Still, the stronger the vampire, the easier it was. New vampires could, for a short time, continue to endure as normal, but the length of time varied on age, gender and race.

Garlic had no effect on them at all. Silver was more of a werewolf thing. Holy water and crosses also did little against them, although both seemed to still be minor irritants to some for one reason or another.

Lastly, inviting them in was the only way they could gain entrance. Due to the evil nature of the curse, they must be invited in by the owner of the domicile. Without the permission of the intended prey, the vampire cannot enter. She cursed herself silently for ever agreeing to let him in. to be fair, she had been a child and thought him to be her imaginary friend. Children rarely saw things as they really were.

The only sure way to kill a vampire seemed to be the violent and gruesome practice of severing their head from their body or driving a stake through their undead hearts. Of course it would kill them: it would kill anyone! She groaned and rubbed her hand over the 'mark.' He had chosen her for a reason. He was hiding the truth from her and she couldn't figure out for the life of her why. It was maddening. HE was maddening. She hated his arrogance. She hated his smug smirks. She hated his patronizing gaze from those deep, dark blue pools… she could fall into their depths and never wish to come up for air…

She growled and threw a pillow across the room, watching as it whizzed right past the head of the man that haunted her thoughts. He looked his usual attractive self in his deep blue button down shirt and black slacks. The first three buttons were undone revealing just the top of his muscular chest and the slacks were just tight enough in all the right places… she mentally shook herself again. She had to keep herself focused. She could NOT let his mind games get to her.

"Did the pillow do something to anger you?" His voice was deep and strong, but impassive. She looked away from him. She didn't need to explain herself to him.

"The servants have complained about the library being a mess. Your doing, I presume?"

"Servants, or slaves?" the accusatory words flew from her lips before she realized it.

"They are servants. They can come and go as they please. Not all of them know what we are an those that do seem not to mind very much." He made his way over to the couch and sat on the cushion farthest from her. Even having him this close was more intense than she wanted to admit. There seemed to be an undeniable spark: an electricity between them that attracted her like a bug to a zapper. She hated it… and loved it.

"You still owe me an explanation." Her words cause his brow to rise.

"Do I?" he infuriated her. He was so conceited and self-assured.

"You said that 'all would be clear soon enough' but I still know nothing more than when you brought me here.

"The mess in the library says otherwise."

"Okay, play your game, if you must." She stood up. "I don't know why exactly you brought me here. At first you said to be your queen but I have heard enough from gossip and whispers to know that that isn't entirely true."

"Have you read anything explaining what I did to you?" She had another flash of that night race through her mind and felt her stomach do a flip.

"I have." She had found the book about vampire bonding halfway through the second day and been memorizing every detail.

"Tell me what you know."

"There are four reasons why a vampire bites someone other than for food and three ways a Vampire can bind someone to them and each bond has a different purpose: a puppet, a blood slave, or a mate…" she found herself pausing after that last one. "The first two are the weakest of the bonds although the slave is stronger than the puppet. If the subject is turned instead of made into a puppet or slave, then a certain amount of blood from the vampire must be consumed by the intended victim to begin the transformation process. Otherwise, the puppets can be used to run errands and the blood slaves are used as a reserve food source in case the vampire cannot go out and hunt."

"And you know which bond we share?"

"You mean the bond you forced on me?"

"Say what you will. You should know from your reading that our bond cannot be formed unless both parties are fully willing…"

"I remember being willing in a dream… the rest makes little sense to me."

"And yet, it was not a dream… it was real… I am real… and so was what we did that night… remember…?" his voice was husky now, smooth and sultry as a dark chocolate truffle. She did remember. Every second, every sensation was burned into her consciousness no matter how hard she tried to forget it.

"Why me? Why won't you let me go? What is so special about me? Is this a game to you? Am I to be a toy or a trophy? You could have any girl you wanted. Prettier, richer, curvier… and you chose me? Why?" When had she started crying? She stared into his eyes searching for some sort of answer. He merely reached out and wiped away one of the tears with a gentle, calloused finger.

"Because you are you… something no one else can be…" he paused and brushed a few strands of hair from her face. "And I, against my better judgment, have been aching for you for centuries…"

"I don't understand."

"Neither do I…" He looked down for a moment and she could almost swear he was nervous. "I was hoping that, by taking you with me, by making you mine I could find out why I was so drawn to you. I'm a logical, reasonable individual. I try to think before I act because my actions can affect those that I am supposed to protect. My feelings for you defy all logic and reason and leave me feeling helpless and vulnerable. Vampires, especially kings, hate feeling vulnerable."

"Heero…" it was the first time she'd said his name in a while and she watched a he closed his eyes as if savoring the moment before his expression changed to one of anger. It was then, however, that the parlor door flew open to reveal his advisors, some with panicked expressions on their faces.

"What is going on?" Heero demanding, standing suddenly.

"We told you taking her would be a bad idea!" Duo half groaned, half wined.

"They have come here looking for her, Heero and they know you have her."

"I can sense them." Heero growled.

"What are we going to do, Heero? This could mean war!" Quatre stated.

"I have already put our sentinels on guard, but I need to know how to proceed." Trowa stated.

"Wait, a minute! What's going on? Who is here?" Relena asked, confusion making her head spin.

"Your brother…" Wufei stated bluntly. And he brought the elders of the Council of Werewolves."


	7. Shadow of a Dream Ch 6

Relena looked back and forth between the two groups of people divided almost perfectly with a four-foot gap between them. They were squared off; some with sneers on their faces and other were actually growling and snarling. She could have sworn she'd heard a hiss or two from Heero's crew. It was as she saw her brother that she made her way to break past her Vampiric protectors that Heero grabbed her arm and stopped her.

"Let go of me!" she was answered only by his silent death glare.

"You will release my sister."

"On what grounds?" Heero challenged. His voice was low and threatening.

"You stole her from us knowing it was a violation of our agreement."

"Agreement? Stole me from you? What are you talking about, Zechs?" Relena looked at her elder brother and realized for the first time that his usually ice-blue eyes were now golden. There was something animalistic in them that made her shudder.

"The woman is mine." Heero pulled her to him then, facing her out away from him with his arms protectively wrapped around her. "I have claimed her: body and soul. You cannot take her from here without violating an even greater treaty."

"Body and soul?!" Her brother looked ready to kill, almost lunging forward but for the restraining hand of one of his crew. His eyes turned to her then, questions burning like wild fire fueled by a seeming sense of betrayal.

"Well... it happened, but it's not what you think!"

"It is exactly as it is." Heero's voice was flat. "I marked her and made love to her upon her consent. She is to be my queen."

"Is this true?" Again, her eyes met his and she could see his rage, though at her or at Heero she wasn't sure.

"I have no intention of being anyone's queen!" her voice held as much defiance as she could muster in her current state. She pulled away from him and stood almost equi-distant between them. "Yes, he marked me, and yes we… engaged in some elicit activities but it was all without my knowing the fine print."

"You have broken the terms of the accord signed by the coalition. It was not your turn to guard the Descendant. And she is of our blood which enhances the terms of your treachery."

"Actually," Heero began, his voice as smooth and cold as ice. "You are wrong on both counts." Heero stepped forward, crossing into the gap slightly to make his point. "The first violation came from her conception by one of your kind and her mother. The crossing of the guardians and the Descendant during their time of custody has always been forbidden." Heero paused and then went to her, taking her into his arms. "And, due to her being the child of your clan's former charge, her care and protection was supposed to fall under our jurisdiction. I merely took what was ours."

"You quote that it is forbidden and yet you have committed the same offense!" Zechs almost growled.

"An offense that was committed many times before her judging by the taste of her blood." Heero squared off and crossed his arms defiantly.

Her brother almost lunged forward but one of the men behind him stopped him. She heard them begin to bicker and covered her ears. She was a Descendant? What did that mean? Her brother was a wolf? She was the property of a vampire king? Too much information swarmed her. She felt her head begin to swim.

"Shut up! All of you!" the room felt silent as all eyes turned to her. "I want some answers! What do you mean, Descendant? What in the hell is going on?"

"Do you wish to tell her, or should I?" Heero asked venomously to her brother.

"I'll do it. I was hoping I would never have to but since you got yourself involved, I have no choice." There was a pause and Relena felt her temper rising.

"Now." She demanded and she thought she saw him flinch.

"Long ago, there was a council of mythical beings, each from a different sort of classification: The Fair Folk, The Werewolves, The Vampires, The Sorcery-bound, and The Meta-humans. There was an agreement among this ancient council to keep their own kind in check to prevent any one race or sub-sector of their race from becoming too powerful. If one branch grew too strong it was up to the rest to bring it back to normal." Zechs paused as if making sure she was following.

"There were a few rebel factions that formed that had to be dealt with and for the first time in history, they all put aside their differences to help keep the balance… until Aleron Bloodstone took control of the Vampiric community. The head position from each racial sect was selected within their own kind by their own rights and traditions. The legend says that when Aleron took control, the Coalition knew things might not stay as they were."

"You're taking too long." Growled someone, although from which side she neither knew nor cared.

"Aleron became too strong. The council rose against him and slew him, but not before he begat a line of descendants. It was said that one day his descendant would be used to revive him and he would return stronger than ever to wreck his vengeance on us all… and you are that descendant."

"Me? Seriously? But what about you? You are my brother."

"I am your half brother. Same father, different mother. Your mother was of Aleron's bloodline… and so are you…" Relena really did feel feint. She was half werewolf… and the distant granddaughter of a monster Vampire.

"Every new generation switches off into the custody of a different branch of the alliance. Over time, however, several of the branches of the Coalition removed themselves from the order due to dwindling numbers or the sheer fact that they no longer considered it their problem. The only two who have wished to remain are the two factions that now stand here. The other's lost too much and too many over the years and pulled their support. Now it is down to our two factions and now even that is being called into question."

"Okay… hold on… let me get this straight." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to try and calm herself before continuing. "I am the only remaining descendant of an ancient Vampire lord who will come back to life because of me?"

"Well, yes, except it won't be because of you, so much as because of what the wrong forces would use you for... oomph!" This came from Duo followed by a grunt as someone seemingly elbowed him in the stomach.

"Okay… good to know, I think…" she looked down and wrung her hands in frustration. "And my father was a werewolf?" she paused again, watching her brother nod. "Does that mean that I am a werewolf?"

"Not exactly." Zechs stepped forward, his eyes meeting hers gently. "You have the DNA of a werewolf, but women typically cannot be born a werewolf. However, any son she might bear may or may not be born one."

"What?!" Relena had been feint before, but finally, the spinning became overwhelming. "I can't… I don't want this… I don't want ANY of this!"

"I know this is all a huge shock. Let's take you home, far away from here and you can pick up where you…"

"Stop. Just, stop." Relena held up a hand to silence him and took a deep breath. This was too much. "Do not EVEN try to tell me that I can go back to the way things were. Not after what I've learned! How long were you going to keep this from me? How could you?" She suddenly turned to Heero, eyes locking with his. "And you! You knew this whole time and only made it worse by what you did!"

"Relena…" He said her name, a soft whisper; almost a plea. Given the situation, it seemed wrong and yet tugged at her heart… But she couldn't look at him.

"I don't know what all of this means, and I'm not really sure how I should respond to it all, but I do know I can't stay here."

"Relena…" Heero started.

"Now you're beginning to make sense. We'll get you home and…"

"No, brother. I _am_ leaving, but not with you. After all the lies and secrets, I don't know who to trust anymore… I need to get away from this… all of this." Those last words were directed at Heero, her aqua eyes locking with his for the briefest of moments. She saw so many things in his eyes but could read none of it. She felt like if she tried hard enough, she probably could have sensed his feelings, but it was better this way… What he did to her was wrong on too many counts to be ignored.

Everything else happened so fast. Her things were gathered and her phone was returned to her. Surprisingly, he didn't try to stop her. When the taxi came, she hopped in and headed to the address of one of her closest friends. It would be hard to recover from this news, but she needed to find a source of comfort and support that wasn't connected to her biological, mythological mess. Accessing her contacts, she tapped the screen and waited for the dial tone to connect.

"Hello, Dorothy? Yes, yes it's me. Yes, I'm alive, I'm fine, really, listen! I need a place to stay…"

* * *

Heero cursed himself. She had resented him before but now the hatred she felt was so deep he felt it radiating from her. The verbal fighting had almost escalated into an all-out brawl. Had it not been for Quatre's calming ways and the sense he spoke, there would have been bloodshed on both sides. Zechs showing up only deepened her reason for resentment and now she was gone.

She left in a cab an hour earlier and he did his best to have her followed. She had taken refuge at the residence of Dorothy Catalonia. The name sounded familiar and so he had his best men and women digging up information on her. He couldn't force Relena to stay, but he knew he couldn't let her live in some unknown location with some unknown woman. He couldn't have it. He wouldn't!

He growled and punched a hole through the wall clear into the brick and mortar. This was all his fault… No, this was all _HER_ fault. He had rushed things. He had jumped in without thinking all because of some unwelcome, unwanted, and confusing feelings he had from the moment he first saw her. He hated how she made him feel. He hated the control she had over him. His hatred of someone controlling him was what led him to grow his power to the point of the ability to kill his maker. Now the one who held him in thrall was a young woman with aqua eyes and a fiery spirit… and he was helpless against her.

"Sire," this small interruption of his thoughts in his current mood made his ire rise even more, but he swallowed it down. This was one of the crew he'd assigned to tailing her. He needed this report.

"She has arrived, my king. The woman has taken her inside, but we could get no further. There is some sort of barrier around the house."

"A barrier?" Heero felt his voice rumble out of his throat with hushed danger. Something wasn't right. "I want to know more about this. Find out who has cast the barrier and then have one of our spell casters look in to breaking it. I will NOT allow her to be veiled from me!"

"Yes, Sire." The man turned and left swiftly leaving Heero to his thoughts. Reaching deep into his mind's eye he tried to find her… he pictured her: honey-colored hair… small, lithe figure… perfectly proportioned… He began to see her. The image was foggy… clouded… just when he thought he could make her out, the vision went black and he felt pain shoot through his eyes.

He growled again. He had to get her back. She had no idea how much danger she was in.

* * *

"Okay, you're in and you're unpacked, now would you mind explaining everything to me? You've been so cryptic and quite frankly I am positively dying to know the details!" Dorothy perched herself on the side of the queen-sized bed and crossed her legs. Relena had met the older blonde at college where they had become quite good frien-emies. Dorothy became the lawyer for the museum in correspondence with the insurance company and she became the curator. Together, they had managed to obtain a lot of priceless artwork for the museum from various donors.

Dorothy was a very down-to-Earth sort of person and Relena found her easy to confide in. she was the kind of person you would never want as an enemy. After a full four years, however, all resentment and hard feelings had melted away into trust and a mutually friendship full of sarcasm and quit-witted quips. However close they may be, she doubted that Dorothy would believe her whole story so she tactfully explained her situation leaving out the mystical portion of it.

"So you had an amazing night of passion, got whisked away for two weeks by your sexy new lover and spent that time in a mansion where your every need was met? I can think of worse ways to be abducted." Relena was somehow not surprised that her friend responded this way. Dorothy always had a different way of seeing the world.

"It wasn't a vacation, Dorothy! He raped me, kidnapped me and cut off all communication with the outside world. Weren't you worried at all?" Relena felt the stress and pent up emotions from the whole ordeal building inside.

"Of course I was. I had your brother on speed-dial the whole time."

"Then how can you act so calm about this?"

"Because you're here." Dorothy's tone became serious. This was out of character for her. "My best friend is alive, safe, and far away from the man who traumatized her. Now, all I can do is try to lighten the mood and return that smile to your face that everyone would miss."

"Dorothy…" Relena knew such candidness was not one of the older woman's strong points and in spite of herself, she knew her friend was right. She was safe. She was able to pick back up where her life had left off and she had the support of her friend to help her. She decided a change in tone would be welcome and returned the jovial attitude. "I didn't know you had such a bleeding heart."

"There's the Relena I know!" Dorothy smirked. "Now, let's get you down to the kitchen for something to eat. I have told my cook to prepare something positively delectable." Relena returned her friend's smile and followed her out of the room. The last two weeks had been a confusing mix of ups and downs. She was just glad that the fog of it all was beginning to clear.


End file.
